Hansi Flick Urges Players to Prioritise Derby Amidst Champions League Pressures

In the midweek quarter-final first leg, Atletico Madrid handed Barca a 2-0 defeat at Camp Nou, putting the Catalans in a challenging position ahead of next Tuesday’s return leg in the Spanish capital.

As league leaders, Barcelona will take on their local rivals Espanyol on Saturday, holding a seven-point lead over Real Madrid in second place.

“The ambition for every player, the club, the fans, and the coaching staff is to win the Champions League,” Flick remarked to the media.

“In every European match, you can see that the team is just five per cent more motivated, beyond 100 per cent. That’s the nature of the competition; it’s why we are here.

“We must first focus on our daily tasks in La Liga, but ultimately, the top priority is to clinch the Champions League. That’s the goal for myself, the players, and the club.”

Barcelona, who have claimed the Champions League trophy five times, last lifted the prestigious cup in 2015.

The reigning Spanish champions triumphed over Espanyol in January, but since then, Manolo Gonzalez’s side has not managed to secure a single victory, dropping to 10th place following a promising start to the season.

“We have many players from La Masia (the club’s youth academy), and they understand exactly what it means to face Espanyol,” Flick stated.

“It’s a derby match, we’re playing at home, and I’m determined to win.”

The coach indicated he would “manage minutes” by rotating players between the two matches against Atletico, but noted that “whoever starts tomorrow will be a fantastic team”.

Flick reassured that his players would remain focused, undeterred by the upcoming trip to the Metropolitano stadium next week.

“This is their responsibility, and they know what needs to be done. They are very focused and prepared for tomorrow,” the German coach elaborated.